Page 83 of The Masks We Break

My eyes flash to hers, my throat constricting at the lost puppy face she’s giving me. She tucks a hair behind her ear and looks at my hand on Stacy again. “Do you have a minute?”

“Not tonight, puppet,” I say it softly, but it makes no difference, I see the hurt cross over her face. I know it took a lot of bravery for her to come over here and I hate that I’m fucking that up for her.

“Hear that? His dick is busy tonight. Now scurry along. Go read a book or something.” Stacy’s jab is childish and shouldn’t bother someone like Remy at all.

But when I glance at her again, I notice her eyes are shimmering behind growing tears. “Blaze?”

I bite on the inside of my lip and give Stacy a warning glance. She huffs, but moves to the other side of me. “Yes, Remy?”

She fiddles with the hem of her shirt, but keeps her eyes on me. “I don’t mean to interrupt, I j-just kinda-a thought maybe…”

She trails off but it’s not hard to see what she’s asking, so I finish it for her. “That we had something?”

Remy nods, letting her eyes flit to Stacy briefly.

I narrow my eyes, my head ticcing to the side. “I don’t do relationships. It’s nothing against you, I just,don’t.”

“What if-f—”

There’s hope lining her words and I can’t have her thinking it’s a possibility. I’ve let myself get carried away and already the little things I’ve done are far more than I should have. “There’s no what-if. There’s nothing between us.”

I wince inwardly as the words come out, piercing into her one by one. But she only bites into her bottom lip and scratches behind her ear before turning around. “Got it. Goodbye, Blaze.”

My stomach twists, sending bile scorching up my throat. That wasn’t a normal ‘I’ll see you later’ farewell. It’s a permanent statement.

It’s for the best.

I consider it, but it sure as fuck doesn’t feel like it as I watch her walk away. As a matter of fact, it’s almost as if she’s taking some part of me with her, and I’m going to regret it the rest of my life.

Present

I was stupid once, but now... I’m willing to let go of everything if it means never losing her again.

When I told her I didn’t love her, when I didn’t think Icould, it tasted foul in my mouth, and I realize now it’s what lies taste like on my tongue. It’s been so long since I’ve said one, but still, my body knew what my mind didn’t want to accept.

At first, I was afraid of everything she made me feel, and I didn’t want to hurt her. But really, somewhere deep, I think I’ve always known it’d beherto rip my chest open. And I’ll risk it if it means being with her fully, not holding anything back.

Decision made, I ride across the city to claim what’s always been mine.

THIRTY SEVEN

So tonight I discovered horror movies and a fresh breakup don’t mix. The two that I’ve watched have ended with me in full-blown tears, questioning why anyone would be mean to the villain in the first place. Without the inciting incident, I bet they would be good people.

Maybe.

Probably not. But I can’t help but cry at the prospect of it.

I throw the covers off, deciding on another bowl of popcorn when the roar of a motorcycle vibrates my core. It’s loud—like right outside my window, loud. My pulse slams into overdrive while my stomach does a flip.

It’s as though my heart hopes he’s here, while my mind is getting pretty tired of being such a hopeless romantic. It’s definitely a curse more than a gift. But before I can second-guess if it was in my head, a melody rings out in the night. There’s no way Blaze is outside my door with... despite the nagging sting in my throat, I open the front door.

Blaze stands on the side of his bike that’s parked directly in front of my door. His face and leather jacket shimmer from the light rain that just started, and a large boombox rests at his feet, while “In Your Eyes” by Peter Gabriel, fromSayfreakingAnythingfills the air.

He lifts his chin, clamping onto his bottom lip, and my eyes burn instantly. It physically hurts how dangerously beautiful he is.

I need to go inside. Ishouldgo inside.

Clenching my teeth together, I let the door drift shut, but when he speaks, my grasp on the door tightens, not letting it close any farther.

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